Top-spinner



(No Model.)

J. STAMP.

TOP SPINNER.

No: 599,481. Patented Feb. 22, 1898.

NlTE tries JOHNSTAMP, OF CARROLLTON, KENTUCKY.

TOP-SPINNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,481, dated February 22, 1898.

Application filed June 14,1897.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN STAMP, of Carrollton, in the county of Carroll and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Top-Spinners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates'to improvements in devices for spinning tops on the floor, table, or other surface; and the object that I have in view is to provide a simple and cheap toy to afford amusement to children.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an improved toy in which the top can be made to run for quite a long time and in which provision is made for ready access to the operating-cord in case renewal thereof becomes necessary.

To these ends my invention consists in a top-spinner comprising a rotatable spindle provided at its lower end with a polygonal stem adapted to enter a socket in a top and carrying at its upper end a counterbalance disk-like weight to insure uniformity to the rotation of the spindle and prolonged running thereof, a hand-grasp in the form of a block,

' which is fitted loosely on the spindle below the balance-disk thereon, and said block provided with transverse openings and with a cord-aperture and a cord attached to the spindle to be coiled thereon and extending through the cord-aperture in said block, forming the hand-grasp, said block also provided with covers to close the transverse openings in the sides thereof.

To enable others to understand my invention, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my topspinner connected in operative relation to a top. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the parts shown by Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in both figures, referring to which 1 designates the spindle of my improved device for spinning tops. This spindle is of cylindrical form except at the extremities thereof, the upper end of the spindle being Serial No. 640,708. (No model.)

square to receive a balance-disk 2, while the lower extremity of the spindle is square to enable it to be fitted in a square socket 4, provided in the upper central part of a top 5. The spindle is thus constructed for connection with the top to be rotated by the spindle, and said spindle also has the balanceweight-like disk mounted thereon in a manner to rotate with the spindle without interfering in any way with the connection of the spindle to the top. The balance-disk serves to insure uniformity to and prolong the rotation of the spindle, and it also affords a convenient means by which the spindle may be rotated for the purpose of winding the operating-cord thereon.

6 is a washer or disk which is attached in a suitable way to the spindle at a point intermediate of its length, and on this washer is adapted to rest the block 7, which affords a hand-grasp to the top spinner when the device is to be used. This block is of angular form in cross-section, but is curved, preferably, in the direction of its length for the purpose of grasping it firmly in the hand. The block has a large transverse opening 10, a vertical opening which intersects with the transverse opening, and a cord-passage 9, which extends horizontally from the large transverse opening and opens through one side or face of the block. The transverse opening is of greater diameter than the vertical opening to form in the center of the block a chamber which surrounds the spindle 1 and enables the operating-cord to be coiled on said spindle without coming in contact with the wall of the block, and said vertical opening extends longitudinally through the block to form journal-bearings on opposite sides of the transverse opening. The upper part of the spindle is passed through the vertical opening in the block to be fitted in the bearings provided for its reception in the block. It will be seen that the spindle is journaled in the block to rotate freely therein and that said block is confined against endwise movement on the spindle by the employment of the washer 6 and the balance-disk 2. The block 7 is thus disposed to have its ends in contact or engagement with the disk 2 and the washer 6, and thus the spindle and the block are coupled together to prevent the spindle from sliding in the block and the cord from being caught between the block and spindle to interfere with the free operation of the spinner.

The operating-cord 8 is attached at one end to the spindle 1, and it passes through the cord-aperture 9, its free end being provided with a suitable knob to enable it to be grasped and pulled with ease. This operating-cord is adapted to be coiled on the spindle and within the chamber formed by the large transverse opening in the block 7. When the device is in use, the balance-disk 2 is designed to impart sufficient momentum to the spindle to cause it to Wind the operating-cord thereon after the cord has been drawn out to start the spindle in its rotations; but should the cord become unwound from the spindle the balance-disk affords a convenient means by which the spindle can be rotated to wind the cord thereon. 7

The ends of the transverse opening 10, Where they are exposed through the sides of the block, are designed to be closed by means of the covers 11 12 for the purpose of excluding dust from the interior of the device and to enable the block to be grasped by hand without danger of coming in contact with the cord to be injured thereby when the cord is pulled forcibly in the act of rotating the spindle. These covers are disposed in compact relation to the sides of the block, and each cover is pivoted to the block, as at 13, while the other free edge of the cover is adapted to be confined in place by a suitable catch, (indicated at 14..) It will thus be seen that the covers are arranged on the body to afford protection to the operators hand to prevent the running-cord when coiled on the spindle from having contact with the hand and fingers when the cord is pulled forcibly to rotate the spindle, and at the same the cover or covers may i be thrown back out of the way to enable free access to be had to the cord and to the spindle for the purpose of replacing the cord and of attaching it to the spindle when the cord shall have become worn and frayed.

The operation may be described briefly as follows: The cord is coiled on the spindle,

and the squared end 3 of the spindle is fitted in a socket 4 of the top 5, the point of which rests on the floor or other surface. The operator now grasps the block 7 in one hand, and with the other hand the operator pulls the cord 8 outwardly, thus uncoiling the cord from the spindle and causing the latter to be rotated rapidly. The spindle turns freely in the block to impart motion to the top, and the balance-disk 2 serves to increase the momentum of the spindle. The spinner may now be detached from the top, and the continued rotation of the spindle causes the cord to be recoiled thereon. The device may be used again to spin other tops, and thus a series of tops may be kept spinning by the employment of the improved spinner.

The device is exceedingly simple in construction and cheap of manufacture because the holes or openings may readily be bored in the block 7, which forms the hand-grasp of the device, and the parts may be readily assembled together in operative relation.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, a topspinner comprising a hand-grasp block, a spindle passing through said block andprovided with a collar upon which the block is adapted to rest, and a balance-disk attached -to the upper end of the spindle; said block being confined between the washer and the balance-disk, substantially as described.

2. The combination with atop having a square socket in its upper side, of a spindle provided with a squared extremity detachably fitted in said socket of the top, a block fitted loosely on the spindle, a balance-disk attached to the spindle, and an operating-cord, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN STAMP. l/Vitnessesz J. B. DUNCAN, DICK YOUNG. 

